Ribaldry and Schmaltz

A Real Rhapsody playlist blog of questionable quality

Friday, September 28, 2007

Red Sox Bumper Music Sampler Playlist

With only three games left in the regular season, first place in the American League East is still very much a question mark. Yes, it's time to turn your hat inside out, bite the head off a chicken, and post up a playlist of Red Sox radio broadcast bumper music.

The game broadcast Producer at flagship station WEEI/WRKO inherits a bank of particularly eclectic tracks to employ in those four to five seconds of transition from commercials back into baseball action. Over the last several years that unwitting part-time DJ has done a decent job of updating the selection to keep things interesting.

Here's a partial playlist sampler of Red Sox broadcast bumper music tracks I've cobbled together during this long, interesting season. There are plenty of songs I haven't been able to identify, so if anyone with a stronger ear happens by this post, feel free to add to it.

As we head into the last weekend of games before the post-season, there are alot of unanswered questions. Can the Red Sox hold on to first place and secure home field advantage in the playoffs? Can Varitek and JD Drew continue their offensive upticks? Will Dustin Pedroia take Rookie of the Year? Can Daisuke get his act together for the playoffs? After ruthlessly shitcanning Jerry Trupiano last offseason, will there be further changes in the Sox radio broadcast booth for 2008? Uncertainty and unease are staples of the baseball diet in these parts.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Just Added Thursday Ode Playlist

The Rhapsody Just Added list brought in a surplus of fascinating stuffs this week, alot of it from TVT Soundtracks and an outfit identified only as "SPECIAL IMPORT SERVICES". The first includes alot of odd movie soundtracks and quite a few TV theme songs not Rhapvailable before. The second brought in a boatload of dark horse rock gems like Suzi Quatro, Mud, and most of the Bonzo Dog Band catalog.

Also of note, the Rhapvailable Supagroup doubled, the early Squeeze catalog was rounded out, and a heap of early Cold Chillin' single reissues came into Rhapsody for our edumacation. Oh, and let's not forget Ronnie Milsap's legendary "Crunk Classics".

Is it a coincidence that this all happens just in time for Thus Spake Drake Lelane's birthday? Who can say. We'll just wish him a most happy one, and offer up this ode for the occasion.

P.S. On closer inspection, those just added records listed with "SPECIAL IMPORT SERVICES" all appear to have the label "RAK Records" printed on the sleeve, so there's a little more education [wikipedia] for sheltered Americans like me.

P.P.S. It pains me to note that "Jailbait" on "Fire For Hire" by Supagroup suffers from some mortal diginoise problems at about 1:40 into that song. Come on, Rhapsody, set that right.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Todo Mundo Va Se Feliz Wednesday

Last Friday I was rolling willy-nilly through the Rhapsody backroads when I came upon this (mostly) covers compilation of (mildly) psychedelic sixties songs translated south of the border. I know this is how the likes of Freddy Fender got their start, but the breadth and variety on this compilation is an education that moves things forward decades. Mex-icodelico is pretty solid throughout, but here's a sampler for the mildly curious, certainly worth a spin for this Quinn the Eskimo alone.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

Last week's Led Zeppelin reunion hoo-ha ended with the happy result of me hearing the original Jake Holmes' version of Dazed And Confused for the first time. Certainly a historically interesting sonic nugget.

The recent release of this live performance of Metal Machine Music by Lou Reed, transcribed for a mostly acoustic ensemble by German musician Ulrich Krieger, has also aroused my ears. I guess you'd need the DVD to really appreciate how all this feedback is being recreated by piano, saxophone, accordion, violin, cello, contrabass, trumpet, tuba, and Lou Reed on guitar, but the audio alone provides plenty to ruminate on. If I frequently ease into Monday morning with a little Ambient 1: Music for Airports, Metal Machine Music provides the perfect Friday afternoon complement.

In related news, what are the chances of getting Mr. Reed's recent Hudson River Wind Meditations into Rhapsody so we can give it a proper what for?

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

World View Wonderings

There's a Featured Playlist titled "World View" on the front page of Rhapsody Online today. It's a widely roaming celebration of Mexican Independence Day, with a brief but educational attached post.

Any time I can pull up Rhapsody and see a well-considered musical celebration of La Revolucion alongside more pressing concerns like the saturation coverage of the VMAs and the Kanye West-50 Cent PR pose-off, I say thank you.

Anyway, I'm mainly posting here because the end of the playlist comments states "Don't forget to hit subscribe for automatic updates!" However, after poking around for a bit, I couldn't find any Subscribe button, and the Author field is empty. So, if this is indeed a proposed series of playlists to school us in the music of the world with a bit of historical perspective, I'd just like to say "Yes, please."

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Mercy for Joe Zawinul Wednesday Playlist

Joe Zawinul died yesterday [BBC]. And even if (for some unfortunate reason) you're not crazy for jazz, Weather Report, Bitches Brew, or the Zawinul Syndicate, chances are you've bobbed your head to one version or another of the classic I didn't know he wrote until yesterday: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.

The late Mister Adderley's introduction to this live version of the song is entirely relevant to the occasion.

Friday, September 07, 2007

Out To Lunch Friday Playlist

Today out to lunch, it's a harvest season bowl of mixed fruits, nuts, and berries. Sweet, a little messy, but at heart nonviolent.

I've been waiting a while to accumulate the right context for this West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band song. I'd never heard of them before this album came into Rhapsody. Quite a bit of it is a little scattershot, but this one employs heartbeat, sedate electric guitar, and whispy fever dream vocals to very fine effect.